The Sounds of Tennis
by Chikogie
Summary: Let's pretend Ryoma didn't exist, however, Seigaku's captain Tezuka is looking to bring the team all the way, with a new teammate as an add. There's something funny about this person though. Hope you like!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **Ok, so it's my second fanfic to post online. HAHA I'm at a record! Alright, some of you may know the Anime _Prince of Tennis_ If you don't... look it up on youtube, you'll be able to see what the characters look like )

Anyway, this one is about Seigaku of course, but Ryoma isn't there, I replaced Ryoma with another character. An original character ) I do hope you all enjoy this fanfic I worked really hard on it. Leave reviews and criticism to help me improve! Ja ne!

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"We have a lot of new members this year..."

Tezuka Kunimitsu looked over the sign up list for the tennis club for this year. This year he was captain and he was serious about bringing his team to the top. The regulars were all there, hoping to hold their place.

"I heard we had a new transfer, 8th grader, something is off about him though..." Inui Sadaharu said leaning against the wall.

All the regulars were sporting their Seigaku uniforms.

"Off?" Fuji Shusuke asked.

Inui nodded, "Mm...he's in my class. He wore these dark sunglasses in class and when the teacher asked him to take them off his eyes were closed for the entire class."

Tezuka looked over his shoulder to Inui, "What's his name?"

Inui flipped open his data book and scanned around for the person's name, "Ryuu Yamamoto."

Tezuka looked down on the list of names signed up to become regulars and noticed his name, except it was't on a line, it was more off to the side.

"Dragon?" Eiji Kikumaru asked,

"He's signed up...are we going to give him a chance?" Oishi Shuichiro asked.

Tezuka said nothing, he stood up and left the classroom to head down to the courts. He recognized everyone except one person

"Ryuu Yamamoto!" 

Ryuu Yamamoto's head tilted to the side as he turned his head in the direction his name was being called from. Approaching the one who called his name, he stooed a foot away from Tezuka, "Hm?"

"Take off the glasses...you'll be able to see better."

The rest of Seigaku's team came down to the courts and stopped short behind Tezuka. Ryuu could hear footsteps and bowed to the rest of the team.

"I'm sorry Tesuka-sempai...but...you see with or without the glasses it won't make much of a difference..."

"Won't make a difference?" Eiji replied, "You can see the court better!"

"Sempai's...there is something you should know about me..." Ryuu started.

Ryuzaki Sumire appeared from the other side of the court, "He's blind."

Everyone took a step back with the exception of Tezuka.

"BLIND?! How do you see where your ball's going to bounce, or where it's going to land?!" Momoshiro Takeshi stated aloud.

"He's the son of an old friend of mine, he played in the states for a while, his family just came back to Japan for the start of the new school year."

Tezuka had his arms crossed accross his chest, "Show me how you play...Inui!"

Inui looked up to Tezuka, "Hm?"

"Play a game against him..."

Ryuu took off his glasses and tossed them to the rest of his stuff and made his way to the tennis court. His fingers on his right hand grazed the top of the net to make sure he was at least on the court. Inui followed on the opposite side. Both players took their respective sides, Inui was to serve. He noticed something about Ryuu, instead of facing Inui, his body was tilted slightly to the left.

"One game, Sadaharu to serve!" Tezuka was reffing the game.

Inui served it over the net, a fast low soaring ball to the left side of Ryuu's court.

"There's no way he can do this if he's blind..." Eiji mumbled.

Fuji watched the game intentivly, "Hm..."

Ryuu stood still, the sounds of the flying ball picking up in his hearing, "Hm." Moving to the left he moved his racket into his right hand, backhanding the ball back to Inui's side of the court with a specialty. THe ball Ryuu sent curved around Inui himself, landing on his right side instead of his left.

Everyone but Tezuka gasped and gaped at Ryuu's return. "What was that...?" Momoshiro asked silently.

"15-0."

Inui looked at his opponent, pushing his glasses up a little. _That return...had such a great amount of spin and force on it...but what I'm trying to figure out is how he returned it, if he can't see!_

The rest of the game went by fast, "Game to Yamamoto, 40-0" Tezuka finally said.

"He beat Inui straight..." Oishi said.

Fuji nodded, "We underestimated him..."

Both players approached the net, Ryuu held out his hand, Inui taking it and grasping it slightly.

"How is it that you were able to tell where my serves were going?"

Ryuu smirked and let go of Inui's hand. Without answering he walked towards the gate of the court, "Tezuka-sempai, I'll understand if you don't want me at practice anymore...having a blind person on your team might actually bring your reputation down..." Putting his tennis racket in his bag he put his stuff away and slung the bag over his shoulder. "Ja..."

Tezuka watched him leave, was it really true that he was blind? he wondered.

"What do you think Tezuka-san...?" Fuji asked, approaching him.

"Hm..."


	2. Ch 2 Run run run!

Momoshiro walked through Seigaku Jr. High campus, on his way to the tennis courts for practice, On the way he spotted Ryuu bouncing a tennis ball on his racket, as he leaned against the side of a building, seeming to be resting.

"Oi-" Momoshiro then took notice, yesterday's game Ryuu was using his right hand, but now he was using his left.

"Hm?" Ryuu tilted his head to the side, "Momoshiro-sempai...on your way to practice?"

Momoshiro approached him, "Hehe, yeah. Why aren't you going?"

Ryuu positioned his head forward, "Mmm...I suppose it's because I don't want to embarass the team..."

"Embarass? You can play tennis blind! What's to embarass! If anything everyone will underestimate you and not give it their all."

Ryuu sighed, "That's it right there...I won't play unless I'm taken seriously."

Momoshiro stood there gazing at Ryuu. "Ehh...well...-"

"Ryuu! Momoshiro!"

Ryuu recognized the voice as Tezuka's, "Hmm?"

Momoshiro bowed, "Sorry Tezuka-sempai, I was on my way to practice when I ran into Ryuu..."

"No excuses Momoshiro...30 laps around the court." Tezuka replied.

"Hai!" Momoshiro started at a run towards the courts.

Ryuu let his ball drop to the ground and caught it in his right hand. Tezuka stared at him as he put his tennis ball and racket away in his bag and started to walk in the other direction.

"Where are you going?" asked Tezuka.

Ryuu stopped, "Home..no point for me to stay."

"Practice is a point to stay I'd assume..." Tezuka turned halfway.

Ryuu turned, his ear facing Tezuka's direction, "Hm? Practice?"

"If you're worried about the teams reputation that much you aren't considered a tennis player to this team and to me, however if you wish to improve the skill you have now..." Tezuka replied.

Both of the two stood in silence for a while, Ryuu could tell Tezuka was testing him if he was really blind. Ryuu smiled some, lowering his head a little, "I really am blind you know..."

Tezuka's brow furrowed a little, "I wasn't-"

"Yes you were Tezuka-kun...I was born this way...my father never let me give up on something just because of one flaw...but I don't think that's why you came to find me."  
Tezuka remained silent.

"You came to ask how is it I play tennis...am I correct?" Ryuu asked, finally opening his eyes.

Tezuka stared at him for a while before closing his eyes and folding his arms over his chest, "You can read me like a book I suppose..."

"Mm...no...it's predictable.."

Tezuka waited for his answer.

"I listen...to the sounds of tennis." Ryuu said simply.

"Sounds of Tennis?"

Ryuu chuckled and pulled a tennis ball from his pocket and a racket from his bag. He bounced the ball up and down on the ground, "Listen to how the ball bounces, because I'm blind, I was able to increase the level of my hearing and feel for the atmosphere and wind change. I can pinpoint where the ball will drop as I listen to it in the air...or.." he bounced the ball on his racket now, "As it hits someones racket."

Tezuka's eyes shot open, "That's advanced playing..."

Ryuu sighed and put his things away.

_Incredible, he can play a sport without even having to see where the ball is going to land..._Tezuka thought.

"Well if that's all..." Ryuu said, turning to leave again.

"40 laps..."

"Hm?"

Tezuka turned to leave, "40 laps around the courts."

Ryuu stood there for a moment, then made his way to the tennis courts, he found Momoshiro already done with his laps.

Starting his, everyone watched as he held his hand out to the side for the wind to catch.

"Mmm? So...looks like we found our 6th..." Fuji said softly.

"Mhm..." Tezuka appeared next to him.

Oishi watched Ryuu run his laps, "Is he going to join us in training?"

"No...I want to train him myself..." Tezuka said.

Everyone heard, everyone couldn't believe it. Tezuka was a tennis genius, already enough talent to join a professional league.

A couple minutes had past, and Ryuu finished his laps. Hands on his knees, he panted heavily. He heard footsteps, deep footsteps. "Tezuka..."

"Mm.." he held a water bottle out for him.

Ryuu took it and drank all the water from its contents, "Arigatou...sempai..."

"I'd like you to stay after for a few minutes." Tezuka walked away.

"Ah...hm..."

After everyone had gone home Tezuka and Ryuu were the only ons around. "Show me how you play against me" Tezuka commanded.

Ryuu had his racket in hand, "On one condition, we play under my standards."

"Standards?"

"Mm...I want to be taken seriously...however I don't want you pushing your left elbow too hard."

"How did you know?" Tezuka gripped his left elbow some.

Ryuu smirked some, "During practice you switched from your left to your right, your right handed returns were stronger on contact than your left."

Without saying a word both players went to their respective sides on the court. It was Ryuu to server. Bouncing the ball in his left hand, he listened for the wind. "Hm...you might want to back up a little for this one Tezuka-kun..." Tezuka stared at him. The ball was thrown up, Ryuu lifted himself off the ground and struck the ball with his racket.

_It's fast...it has a spin on it..._Tezuka moved for the return. However, once the ball struck the court it spun on the ground for a split second then returned in another direction, hitting the racket out of Tezuka's hand. "Twist Serve?"

"15-0..." Ryuu pulled a ball from his pocket and bounced it.

Tezuka stared at him for a moment, _Alright Ryuu...you want to be taken seriously..._

The ball was served again, the same serve as before, Tezuka ran back ahead of time thus catching up with the change in the balls bounce, and returned it with a normal slice. Ryuu heard the contact it made and tilted his head to the side a little to listen to the dent it was making in the winds pattern. "Hm." Running to the right side of his court he cought the ball and sliced it back.

Tezuka moved a certain number of steps, returning the ball within 10 steps, as the game continued his steps decreased.

"Hm..?" _His footsteps have gone down every single return I've hit to him...what is he doing? I've heard Tezuka was a genius, but was he that good to control where and how I'm going to hit?_ Ryuu was thinking as he ran after the ball continuously.

"Ryuu! Listen carefully to the ball!" Tezuka said.

"Hm?"

He coud hear it, the ball was going straight to him. "Tezuka Zone!" like that the ball was returned, the speed too fast for him to be predicting where it would be landing.

Panting heavily Ryuu heard the ball make it's second bounce on his side of the court. He couldn't believe it, he faced the Tezuka Zone.

"We'll stop here it's getting late." Tezuka said as he started off the court.

Ryuu stood where he was, "Heh..you knew didn't you."

"That you are left handed? Yes I knew..I wonder why you didn't use your left hand."

"Hm..." Ryuu put his stuff away, put on his jacket and started walking.

"What's your size?" Tezuka asked.

Ryuu stopped, "Size?"

"You need a uniform...if you're going to compete."

Ryuu held back a smile as he turned to face Tezuka, "Large..."

Tezuka watched as Ryuu walked away. _Having someone like him on the team doesn't make this easier...it just makes it harder._

Just then, Ryuzaki-sensei appeared behind Tezuka, "Hmm? Interested?"

"Hai.."

Tezuka walked away, Ryuzaki-sensei watched _Tezuka..I know what you're thinking...you want to play tennis just like him don't you. Well there's a lot more too it than just the sounds of tennis._


	3. Ch 3 Rythm of Tennis

_If life was so easy...there would be no flaws in anybody...everyones dreams would've already accomplished. Everyone would have it easy..._

It was the weekend and there was no tennis practice that day, Ryuu decided to get in extra training anyway. He had with him his tennis bag and his stereo boombox. In one hand he had a shooter cane to help guide him.

Accross the street Eiji and Takashi were enjoying an ice cream. "Oi Taka isn't that Ryuu...?" Takashi looked over, "Yeah, is he training...on a free day?" Eiji and Taka decided to follow him. Along the way Ryuu made many stops finally stopping at a local tennis club. Their courts were empty and he already knew the owner enough to help himself to the courts.

"Who's he training with?" Eiji asked silently, they moved closer. Takashi followed suit, they hid behind the four foot wall that blocked the bleachers to the courts.

"Eh? What are you two doing here?" Ryuu asked, his back faced to the two.

Eiji jumped, "Eh? How did you know?!" Takashi also came up laughing slightly, "Sorry Ryuu-san."

Ryuu chuckled some, folding up his shooter cane and putting it in his bag, "That's alright, I'm just here to practice a little while."

Ryuu knew there was a pretty good sized wall nearby, so he set up his stereo there, "Hey Ryuu, what's with the music?" Eiji asked walking over to the side.

Ryuu turned the Stereo on waiting for his song to come up, "It helps me concentrate sometimes...if I loose focus."

Takashi and Eiji looked at each other.

crazy for love [love...love...love...love...love...love...love...

crazy for love, crazy for love,

crazy for love, crazy for love,

crazy for love, crazy for love,

crazy for love, crazy...

Ryuu served the ball at the wall, using his right hand, and listening in on it's contact and it's bounce and returning it right back. Eiji and Taka both listened to the song and watched his movement.

got to be the first one

got to be the last one

you never get no peace of mind

never show emotions

all communication's over

you got no feeling

Ryuu was in his zone, he never once missed the ball. Eiji and Taka just stared in amazement.

stop it now, guess you wonder why

you just sold out the dream inside

up and down, baby for your lovin'

baby we can fly up to the sky

every day every night crazy for love

into the depth of desire

every time everywhere crazy for love

and now my spirit's on fire

Ryuu was in complete control now, "You see..." he said as the chorus repeated itself, "Sometimes I loose my concentration, but music helps me regain it."

Eiji nodded, "But how can you hear the ball over the music?" he had to yell over the Stereo's volume.

[repeat

crazy for love

when you get that feeling

when you find some lovin'

you've got to run away from here

show me your emotion

baby make me feel so natural

it's the real thing

stop it now, guess you wonder why

you just sold out the dream inside

up and down, baby for your lovin'

baby we can fly up to the sky

"I've trained my ears enough to separate sounds, from the music, to the wind...to the ball's force, and to your breathing..." Ryuu replied, still not loosing focus.

Taka and Eiji gasped, "Ehh?! You've trained your ears to do that?!" Taka said, "That's tough!"

[repeat x2

crazy for love

when you get that feeling

when you find some lovin'

you've got to run away from here

show me your emotion

baby make me feel so natural

it's the real thing

The rally versus the wall went on, return after return, each seemed to be getting stronger, with more of a curve to it.

stop it now, guess you wonder why

you just sold out the dream inside

up and down, baby for your lovin'

baby we can fly up to the sky

[repeat x2

crazy for love

got no feeling

stop it now, guess you wonder why [love...love...love...love...

up and down, baby for your lovin'

every day every night crazy for love

every time everywhere crazy for love

[repeat (Note: I don't own this song, but it is a good song)

FInally with a final strike, Ryuu ran the ball along the strings of his racket, putting a deep spin on it. The ball spun, not hitting the wall but grazing it slightly, finally coming back to Ryuu.

"Eh?! Watch-!" Eiji was about to say.

Ryuu had caught the ball in his left hand before Eiji could finish.

"Yes...Eiji-sempai?" he smiled some.

The afternoon passed as Eiji, Takashi, and Ryuu played a few games for fun, the sun was setting softly in the background, "Eh...it's getting late, you two want dinner at my place?"

Taka looked to Eiji, "Sure!" he said.

Ryuu smiled and packed up his things, leading them to his apartment.

Once inside, Eiji noticed something, "Eh? You live alone?" Ryuu put his things away in the nearby closet, hanging up his shooter cane, "Ah...pretty much, my parents are on business a lot, so I'm alone for a good portion a year."

"Feel like sushi? I know you have a thing for Anago(Spicy eel sushi) Sushi Eiji-sempai."

Eiji's face lit up, "HAAAIII!!!!!!"

"Taka? Anythnig special for you? Chirashizushi?(Cattered sushi bowl with rice, nine kinds of fish, and vegetables scattered on top.)"

"That sounds good but I don't want to make you work too much. You know how to make sushi? My dad owns a shop." Taka said.

"Mm...sort of a hobby."

Eiji interrupted, "Chirashizushi sounds good!!!"

"Hai hai Eiji-sempai, I'll make one for you too."

Getting to work, Ryuu went into the kitchen and pulled out the ingredients.

"You know where everything is?" Taka asked.

Ryuu smiled, "Pretty much, you see on the packaging, I had my brother do this for me lable the packaging with tape but underneath the tape I put metals balls so I know which one is which, kind of like reading brail."

"Ahhh...you need help?" Eiji asked, hoping over the counter.

Ryuu laughed, "Sure, you can make the rice while I prepare everything else. Taka do you want to cook the vegetables?"

Eiji and Taka nodded and went to work. Ryuu used the knife carefully. Taka and Eiji watched him, "Eiji...is it ok for him to..." Taka started.

"Use a knife? Don't worry," Ryuu replied.

"His hearing really is good!" Eiji said.

A few minutes of cooking and the food was done, three bowls and 3 trays of Anago and various types of sushi.

"Enjoy!" Ryuu said picking up his chopsticks.

"ARIGATOU!" Eiji and Taka bowed in their seats.

They ate happily, filling themselves up until they were bloated. Eiji and Taka both admired Ryuu's cooking, "Wow Ryuu, you are good!" Taka exclaimed.

"Thank you Taka, that means a lot coming from you." Ryuu went to do the dishes, cleaning up a lot of the kitchen before Eiji came in, "Need help?"

"I'm just about done here, it's getting late, how far do you guys live?"

Eiji looked at the clock, "Ehh...pretty far.

Taka nodded.

"You can stay here if you want, I don't mind...I hope you parents don't."

Both boys called their parents, slumber party!

Ryuu smiled, he was gaining friends within the tennis family he gained.

**Authors Note: Oi oi oi oi oi sorry it's taking me so long to get these chapters done, I'm working on other fanfics as well, well...longer ones. haha. I hope you don't mind the fanfic. Review/w.e lol. Night! Other chapters to come!**


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